Some aspects of the political and commercial history of the Muslims of Sri Lanka with special reference to the British Period

Abstract

This thesis is an attempt to present a detailed thematic account of the history of the Muslims of Sri Lanka, concentrating chiefly on the British period between 1796 and 19^9- Use has been made of all the known primary materials currently available for this topic in both Sri Lanka and Britain. Special attention has been devoted to the fields of Muslims in politics and Muslims in commerce in Sri Lanka during the British era. The introductory chapter (i) sketches in the arrival of the Muslims in Sri Lanka, outlines the relationship between the Muslims and the Sinhalese kings and deals with the fate of the Muslims in the Portuguese and Dutch periods. The second chapter deals with Muslims' responses to the arrival of the British. It looks at Muslim involvement in the conquest of the Kandyan kingdom and in the Kandyan rebellion. The third section of this chapter surveys the Colebrooke-Cameron reforms; and the fourth section deals with the appointment of the Muslims by the British as Civil Servants and as Consuls. The third chapter deals with Muslims in politics; special attention is given to Muslim membership in the Legislative and Municipal Councils on the island. The fourth chapter deals with Muslims and the struggle for iiindependence. The fifth chapter gives a brief outline of Muslims in trade during the British period. It deals with gems, pearls and coconut. The sixth analyses the communal outbreak of violence between Muslims and Sinhalese in 1915. The seventh chapter discusses the Egyptian Nationalist 'Arabi Pasha and his exile in Sri Lanka. The eighth chapter attempts to summarise the thesis as a whole.